Port of Portland Pulls Out of West Hayden Island Annexation Deal

UPDATE: Hales says he'll let the deal die.

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The Port of Portland has pulled out of talks to annex West Hayden Island, saying city environmental demands are too high.

Port Executive Director Bill Wyatt sent a letter to Mayor Charlie Hales this morning, saying City Council's unwillingness to budge on environmental mitigation is a deal-breaker for the Port's long-desired deep-water marine terminal.

"The port will not continue with the annexation process at this time and withdraws its consent to annexation," Wyatt wrote. "The city, unfortunately, will now have to deal with the consequences of a severe shortfall in industrial land." The news was first reported today by The Oregonian.

Hales' office provided the letter to WW after a records request.

"The mayor has heard the Port’s opinion and totally understands the perspective from which they approach this," says Hales spokesman Dana Haynes. "But he hasn’t had the opportunity to read, analyze and respond to today’s letter."

Port
officials say that a 300-acre marine terminal on West Hayden Island could generate more than 1,000 new
jobs—a claim WW examined last summer.